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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186607">Peace Offering</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/pseuds/mooglecharm'>mooglecharm (morphaileffect)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Set-up [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Confrontations, Drama, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Jealousy, M/M, Pets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:42:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,671</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/pseuds/mooglecharm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ravus is jealous of Gladio.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gladiolus Amicitia/Aranea Highwind, Ravus Nox Fleuret/Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Set-up [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930120</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Peace Offering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Something I should have clarified at the beginning of this series: in my head, Ravus and Ignis got together when they were 30 and 24, respectively. In this fic, they’re 32 and 26, and have been living together for 2 years.</p><p>And this fic takes place around a year after the last part...which is unfinished, so there’s a sort of time skip here. I cheat because I wanted to write fluff, I’m sorry XD The unfinished angst will have to wait.</p><p>TW for alcohol, but not much apart from that.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last straw was when Ravus heard that Ignis was going out for drinks with Gladiolus Amicitia.</p><p>Gladiolus. Amicitia.</p><p>The <em>one friend</em> whom Ravus didn’t like Ignis hanging out with alone.</p><p>So he put his foot down.</p><p>“I’m sorry?” Ignis blinked. “I’m ‘not allowed’ to see an old friend?”</p><p>“<em>Alone</em>,” Ravus quickly clarified. “You’re not allowed alone.”</p><p>(He didn’t seem to understand that the problematic word in the original statement was, in fact, “allowed.”)</p><p>“And why is that, pray tell?” Ignis challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you worried he’s going to slip something into my drink?”</p><p><em>...Well, I wasn’t earlier, but I am now,</em> Ravus bit back.</p><p>“It’s -- “ He stepped closer to Ignis, deliberately not meeting his gaze. “It’s difficult to explain.”</p><p>He only said this, because he was aware that <em>I don’t like the familiar way he looks at you, or the easy way with which you and he trade banter, or the way he’s so physically at ease with you - something knots in my stomach and alarm bells ring inside my head</em> would have sounded very, very awkward in this context.</p><p>This option at least bought him some time to think of how to better express himself. Choice of words mattered. That was something he became keenly aware of, in his two years working in the Lucian court.</p><p>Ignis sighed, unfolded so he could take Ravus’ hand, and hold it for a good second, before bringing it to his lips and lightly kissing the back of his lover’s fingers.</p><p>His warm smile said he understood, without Ravus needing to say anything.</p><p>But Ravus doubted this, truly.</p><p>“You’re welcome to join us, you know,” Ignis disclosed.</p><p>Ravus frowned. “He said as much?”</p><p>“No, but if you want to come, I’m not going without you.”</p><p>Ravus withdrew his hand, making sure the strength with which he did it did not convey anger.</p><p>“If I am present while you speak with your friend,” he asked, genuinely clueless, and refusing to be sheepish about it, “whom do I speak with?”</p><p>It occurred to Ignis that Ravus had not been invited to many drinking parties.</p><p>While it was a belated realization, it did not strike him as a surprise.</p><p>“You could bring someone else,” he offered. “In fact, Gladio may welcome that. It’s always the more the merrier for him, and I doubt we’ll be talking about anything that requires privacy.”</p><p>If the subtle assurance of “no hanky panky” was a play for getting Ravus to back out of his commitment, it didn’t work.</p><p>“I’ll find someone to bring,” he assured Ignis.</p><p>“I don’t doubt you will,” Ignis said, reaching up to comfort Ravus with a kiss.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>And Ravus did find someone, in no time at all.</p><p>Ignis honestly thought Ravus would have a harder time of it. The man didn’t have many personal friends...and the ones he did have, were not exactly people with whom he was “close,” in the loose sense of the word. They were mostly older people, or work acquaintances, or gaming friends twenty years his junior (not old enough to drink), or fellow former Niflheim soldiers.</p><p>At least it made sense that the one he found would be from the last category.</p><p>He just hadn’t been aware that this one counted as a “drinking buddy.”</p><p>“It’s good of you to come, Lady Highwind,” Ravus said stiffly, standing to greet Aranea as she entered the bar.</p><p>Ignis stood as well, and after a customary bow of greeting, asked Aranea, “Did he force you into this at swordpoint?”</p><p>Ravus scowled at him as he sat down again.</p><p>“Pretty much,” the lady answered blithely as she took her seat at their table. “Well...I agreed to come, and then he said he was going to skewer me if I backed out.” She crossed her long legs, flipped long silver hair back from her shoulder.</p><p>Ignis looked at Ravus, who pointedly looked away, sipping his wine with disinterest.</p><p>Even if Ravus had brought Aranea, it looked like it was up to Ignis to continue the conversation. At least until Gladio arrived.</p><p>And the truth was, Ignis didn’t mind. He’d always felt a sort of kinship with Aranea, fostered during the few times their paths crossed. He knew that even if Ravus had indeed threatened to “skewer” her, she was strong enough that it could not have been a serious threat.</p><p>(Jokes in Niflheim ran on the violent side, Ignis had come to accept, from the very few times Ravus <em>deliberately </em>tried to tell jokes.)</p><p>And tonight, she was a vision. She was wearing a casual red dress that showed off how comfortable she was in her skin. If she walked down the streets of Insomnia in that dress, she would draw all eyes to her.</p><p>“I had nothing better to do, anyway,” Aranea continued. “Not much call for mercs - I’m sorry, <em>freelancers</em> - during peacetime, especially if you’re the kind who’s known for turning clients down because you don’t like their morals.” She picked up the drinks menu, began looking through the options lazily. “And it’s not like I get a lot of invitations to Lucis. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been back in Insomnia since the royal wedding.”</p><p>“You had a standing invitation from the King himself,” Ignis reminded her. “And Insomnia has its charms...you can’t have returned just for a night of drinking, surely.”</p><p>Aranea smiled. “Well,” she said sweetly, “I also wanted to see you two together with my own eyes. Few other lovebirds are as talked about all over Eos as you two are, you know?”</p><p>“That can’t be true,” Ignis politely argued. Ravus cleared his throat and slumped slightly in his seat, already imagining paparazzi hiding among the other patrons of that upscale bar, which had been chosen for its discretion.</p><p>“Do you doubt it, especially after what happened?” Aranea asked Ignis. “You’re now the stuff of historical romance, Specs. How does it feel?”</p><p>Ignis bent his head, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose to mask his sudden shyness.</p><p>“Far preferable to being the stuff of historical tragedies, I suppose,” he truthfully answered.</p><p>“We were all so close to being that,” Ravus said grimly. “If things had gone another way.”</p><p>There was a brief, but heavy pause. Aranea broke it with a groan.</p><p>“Okay, you two are clearly a barrel of laughs,” she complained to Ravus, specifically. “Hope that other guy you say is coming is a little more cheerful.”</p><p>“Whew. Sorry I’m late!”</p><p>Gladiolus Amicitia strode in, panting. Wearing his usual all-black ensemble of shirt, leather trousers and jacket.</p><p>And smelling faintly of...milk formula and puppy fur?</p><p>Ravus’ face darkened. This escaped no one’s attention - not even Gladio’s.</p><p>“More adoptables came into the shelter today. Prompto needed a hand getting them all settled in.” He grasped Ignis’ hand in a brief but strong handshake. After a second’s hesitation, he offered the same hand to Ravus.</p><p>Who stared at it - and at him - as if he was offering a fistful of dirt.</p><p>Gladio frowned and withdrew.  Then noticed the third person at the table.</p><p>“Aranea,” he breathed, amazed. “It’s been a while.”</p><p>Aranea was the first to extend her hand to him. Gladio took and held it.</p><p>And for the briefest of moments, Ignis imagined he saw sparks flying between them.</p><p>Then Aranea let go, and Gladio was free to take the last empty seat.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“See, that’s one perk that comes with spending most of your day with animals,” Gladio was saying in a loud voice, to a tipsier, less inhibited group. “You get to thinking of people as animals, too. One time, some hunters and I rescued a tiny baby chocobo and brought it back to the shelter for a bit of fixing up before it was transported to Wiz. I held it up for Prompto and said ‘Hey, little guy kind of looks like you!’” Gladio guffawed. “And it did! Head feathers and all! Even Prompto agreed!”</p><p>Gladio always knew how to brighten up a room. He had a casual, no-nonsense air that drew people to him. And a way of connecting to others that was instantaneous, incandescent.</p><p>He was <em>everything</em> Ravus wasn’t. Ravus knew this well.</p><p>And Ignis glowed in his presence, reflecting off his light, much like everyone else did.</p><p>“You know what Iggy’s always reminded me of?” Gladio continued. “A cat. One of those sleek types. Like a Solheim Blue, maybe. Or a silktail.”</p><p>“A silktail!” Ignis exclaimed, hand on his chest. “Such an honor. One of the rarest, smartest, and most graceful breeds.”</p><p>“And the most expensive,” Aranea supplied. “The Emperor owned a silktail. And then forgot he had one, toward the end, as the Scourge took him. Had to ‘rescue’ her myself, and bring her to a family who could take care of her.”</p><p>“So, you’re a rescuer, too,” Gladio remarked, his voice dropping to a playful, flirtatious tone. “Why am I not surprised?”</p><p>Aranea smiled into his amber eyes, before looking away to take a sip of her drink.</p><p>Ravus saw that.</p><p>“What would you say Ravus was?” a happily tipsy Ignis asked.</p><p>Then Gladio stared at Ravus, a soft growl at the back of his throat as he thought. It made Ravus feel uneasy...and strangely ready for a fight.</p><p>“A dog,” Gladio soon decided. “Smart, loyal, dutiful. But I’m coming up blank for the breed. Any ideas?”</p><p>Ravus clearly wasn’t interested in participating in this discussion. Aranea took herself out of it by saying she didn’t know much about dogs. So Ignis picked up the slack.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he mused aloud. “Something family-oriented. But territorial, and vicious in a fight. Maybe a hunting dog.” An idea came to him. He straightened up in his seat, snapped his fingers. “A steelstrike.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Gladio exclaimed. “You remember the steelstrike that Minister Brugia took to royal sporting events? That one was <em>gorgeous</em>.”</p><p>A shudder went up Ravus’ spine, as he heard Gladio use the word “gorgeous” to refer to a dog he supposedly resembled.</p><p>“I do remember,” Ignis remarked wistfully. “A magnificent creature.”</p><p>Ravus wasn’t even aware of what a steelstrike was. Must be a type unique to Lucis. But hearing Ignis say it was ‘magnificent’ tempered his wariness. He was going to have to look up more information on the breed later.</p><p>“I did have dogs growing up in Tenebrae,” Ravus said. “So I wouldn’t be surprised if I resembled them in some fashion.”</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Ignis remarked. “Umbra and Pryna. Do you miss them?”</p><p>Ravus shrugged. “Like many things, they belong in the past.”</p><p>Gladio was watching Ravus’ face as he spoke. Ravus hoped to the gods he didn’t actually <em>pity</em> him. That was the last thing he needed from the man.</p><p>“What about me?” Aranea piped up. “When one doesn’t have a boyfriend who’ll ask on her behalf, a girl takes the leap.”</p><p>One of Gladio’s eyebrows rose when he heard that. A knowing smirk touched his face.</p><p>“An eagle,” Ravus readily answered. “A sharp-clawed, deadly bird of prey.”</p><p>Aranea smiled mischievously. She liked that answer.</p><p>“You know me too well,” she purred at him. “Mr. Steelstrike.”</p><p>Ravus felt a tinge of fondness for her. He had never seen her playful side before, and he acknowledged it was attractive.</p><p>“You do know I have an eagle tattoo, right?” Gladio asked no one in particular...but everyone knew he was speaking to Aranea.</p><p>She leaned closer to Gladio, turned her face up to him. “I did not, in fact, know that.”</p><p>“Oh yeah,” Gladio said in a low voice. “Maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll show you.”</p><p>“And <em>you</em>, Gladio, have always reminded me of a bear,” Ignis interrupted - cluelessly rude, for a change. Ravus began to think he <em>might</em> have had a little too much of that clear, strong stuff he was imbibing. “A big, cuddly bear. With fangs that can crush bones. And paws that can kill a man with one swipe.”</p><p>Gladio grunted. “Can’t even think of me as domesticated, can you?”</p><p>Ignis leaned closer to him. “My dear man, <em>nothing</em> about you is ‘domestic.’ I have yet to meet the person tenacious enough to finally tame you.”</p><p>Mirth flashed across Gladio’s face. He laughed loudly, patted Ignis on the shoulder, let his hand linger there, then took another swig of beer.</p><p>Oh, now, Ravus saw that, too.</p><p>This was precisely what he was hoping he wouldn’t see tonight - what he was hoping he would have been able to prevent, by being there, and with a fourth party, no less: the comfortable way the two interacted.</p><p>Their chemistry and shared history, teaming up to laugh in his face.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ignis wouldn’t even hold Ravus’ hand in public.</p><p>(Granted, Ravus didn’t like holding hands in public, either, but <em>still</em>.)</p><p>“Excuse me,” Ravus remembered to say, before he calmly - at least as calmly as he could - stood and walked out of the room.</p><p>The bar had a long, wide balcony. He was just heading out there for a breath of fresh air. He needed it. Didn’t want to be around that stifling <em>closeness</em> for much longer.</p><p>But he felt the tension that he left behind following him with its three curious pairs of eyes.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>He’d had enough Cleigne wine. Had enough of the evening.</p><p>Ravus was just mustering the composure to tell Ignis he would be going on ahead, and waiting for him at home.</p><p>He no longer had the will to care if Ignis would choose not to go home with him that night - and, in Ravus’ absence, leave the bar with Gladio later. Or even with Aranea. Or both.</p><p>One kiss, in full view of everyone - one last reminder that Ravus belonged to him.</p><p>And then he would leave.</p><p>He no longer cared.</p><p>At least, that was what he told himself.</p><p>It took too much out of Ravus to keep posturing this way. And maybe he was getting too old to play these games. He was past thirty, after all. He’d made the commitment to settle down, because he was tired of pursuing, tired of fighting to keep what he wanted.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>And there it was.</p><p>The <em>one thing</em> that could make this evening worse.</p><p>Gladio stood beside him, rested his arms on the balcony’s handrail.</p><p>Ravus was taller than Gladio, but he felt that the younger man’s presence somehow still loomed, dark and heavy.</p><p>Neither of them spoke for a while.</p><p>Until finally, Gladio took a deep breath and began: “Listen. I know you don’t like me hanging out with Ignis.”</p><p>Ravus bristled. “Yet you do it anyway,” he slowly, acidly countered.</p><p>Gladio was never one to back down from a fight. Negative energy hung between them, dense and electric.</p><p>“Regardless of what <em>you</em> want, I’m Ignis’ friend.” Gladio’s voice was low, angry, but not provocative. “What <em>he</em> wants is what matters to me. And I know - as sure as I’ve ever been of anything, I know - that what he wants is <em>you</em>.”</p><p>This caught Ravus off-guard. It almost disappointed him, how quickly he was disarmed.</p><p>“Listen. Okay? I’m only going to say this once. There’s nothing between Ignis and me. But I don’t know how I can make you believe it.” Gladio rubbed the back of his neck. “Ignis isn’t the most demonstrative person, but he lets loose with me. And that eats at you. I get it. But you must’ve seen that he’s affectionate with Noct, too. And Prompto, to a degree.” He shook his head. “You see, I’m nothing special. But what Iggy and Noct and Prompto and I have - <em>that’s</em> something special. We’ve been through hell and back together. We’ll likely watch out for each other forever. No one can take that away from <em>any </em>of us.”</p><p>Ravus let him talk. In another life, he would dismiss this impudent creature without a second thought. He would be little more than an obstacle in Ravus’ path, something to be disposed of...</p><p>But in this life, he was important to the man that was the center of Ravus’ world. That made him more significant to Ravus than he had any right to be.</p><p>“I don’t know what you have with him.” Ravus spat. “I’ve had comrades-at-arms, childhood friends, men who served under my command. But no one, apart from my sister, has stood by me for as long as any of you have by Ignis. What you have with him may be bigger than what he and I have built together in this short time.”</p><p>Gladio listened silently. Gears seemed to be turning in his head.</p><p>“I think I see now,” he mused aloud. “You’re not afraid I’m going to take him away. You’re afraid he’s going to <em>leave</em>.”</p><p>Ravus fell silent.</p><p>The man managed to get to the heart of Ravus’ anxieties within just a few minutes of talking.</p><p>It was true: the world had changed. There were no more gods or demons pushing their fates together.</p><p>The door was always open, if Ignis wanted to go.</p><p>Ravus turned around, leaned back against the railing. He was facing the interior of the bar, watching Ignis laughing with Aranea. Noticing how Aranea was somewhat touchy with Ignis too, and how Ignis was <em>fine</em> with it, when he wouldn’t welcome being so freely touched by anyone else, in most other circumstances.</p><p>He realized then: it was always going to bother him.</p><p>“I don’t begrudge him his friendships,” he said sternly. “Of course I don’t. But we can be vastly different, he and I. I don’t always understand how or <em>why</em> he considers some people and things important.” <em>I don’t always</em> want <em>to</em>, he wanted to confess. But maybe not to Gladio. “But I can’t help how I respond.”</p><p>“You think things you don’t understand are threats,” Gladio pointed out. “I get it. Can’t say I don’t know how that feels. But look - you’ve been together what - two, three years?” Gladio’s voice softened a bit. “No one can take that away from you, either. All I ask is that you give him a chance to prove that he won’t go back on any promise he might have made to you. It’s not something he <em>does</em>.”</p><p>Ravus already knew that. Like him, Ignis made vows and stuck to them.</p><p>He supposed he needed to keep it more in mind.</p><p>“You know, in a way, I envy you,” Gladio said presently. “We’ve had all this time to get to know Ignis. But your adventure with him has just begun.”</p><p>He had never seen it that way.</p><p>He supposed that Gladio, standing outside of their relationship, could see it more clearly. And simply spoke his mind.</p><p>And, in a way, Ravus envied him that. Envied Ignis for having someone in his life who could offer that perspective.</p><p>Gladio breathed a long, loud sigh.</p><p>“Look, there’s a woman at that table I have a <em>lot</em> of catching up to do with,” he said. “And I want to thank you for bringing her over. So...come back inside with me and let me buy you a drink? Call it a peace offering.”</p><p>Ravus let out a breath.</p><p>“<em>One</em> drink,” he acquiesced.</p><p>Gladio smiled, patted him once, strongly, on the back of the shoulders.</p><p>And walked with him back inside.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>A little over a week after their double date, a box landed on their doorstep.</p><p>It was a large-ish package, and somewhat heavy. And Ravus thought he felt something move inside it.</p><p>They opened it at the doorway.</p><p>Inside were a silktail cat and a steelstrike puppy, curled around each other, wide eyes turned up to their new owners.</p><p>The puppy greeted them with a high-pitched bark.</p><p>“Oh,” Ravus breathed, as he reached into the box and carefully took the puppy out.</p><p>Ignis, in turn, extracted the cat. It was young, as cats went, barely out of kittenhood. And used to people, it seemed from the way it didn’t struggle in his hands. Its green eyes simply met his full on, glittering with curiosity and alertness.</p><p>Immediately the puppy initiated a small game, jumping around Ravus, who was now sitting on the floor. It was trying to lick as much of Ravus’ face as it could get to. The puppy was still very small, small enough to fit almost entirely in Ravus’ two hands - but if Ignis knew anything about the breed, it was going to grow up fast, and grow up HUGE. Not in a bulky, massive way, but in a tall, regal, long-limbed way.</p><p>Ravus was too caught up in the puppy to notice the presence of a note on the lid of the box. But it was addressed to Ignis anyway. He picked it up and read it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Iggy,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope you and Ravus like your new housemates. They don’t have names yet. I’d call them “peace offerings,” but we’ve all put away our weapons, haven’t we? Bar diplomacy sure can work wonders...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We just got the cat recently. Was fielding some interested adopters, but the moment I saw her, I knew she had to be yours. The dog, I got from a hunter who owed me a favor.</em>
</p><p><em>Don’t worry: I made sure they got along before I sent them over.</em> <em>In fact, I'd go so far as to say they’re in love. Watch out, they can be pretty inseparable.</em></p><p>
  <em>Take care of them and each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gladio</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>P.S.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aranea says hi. Prompto, too. He says he’s always seen you as a coeurl.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The cat in his arm mewed and pawed at the note. Ignis smiled.</p><p>“Well, we’re going to have to go out to buy pet supplies,” he said to Ravus. “And <em>you</em> are going to have to exercise that little gentleman daily. Take up running in the morning, perhaps.”</p><p>Steelstrikes, after all, were hunting dogs. Fast, laser-focused and efficient. And high energy.</p><p>And Ravus found himself in love. Again.</p><p>“Damn,” Ravus answered without rancor. “Well...” He picked up the puppy again, and its little tail started wagging wildly. “I suppose that can be managed.”</p>
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